Pole Climbing Fall Prevention Assembly with Adjustable Strap
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current fall protection systems for pole climbing are not efficient and effective in preventing falls, particularly in adjusting to varying pole diameters and ensuring secure engagement with the pole during climbing and descent.
Innovation Solution
A fall prevention assembly comprising a pole strap, lanyard, floating back plate, and engaging sleeve, along with adjustable connectors and a rope grab, allows for secure positioning around the pole and adjustable tension to prevent falls by engaging the pole with teeth and protrusions, ensuring the assembly remains static during a fall event.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed pole choker assembly is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to varying pole diameters
Solution Approach 1:
The pole strap assembly incorporates movable and adjustable components including a sliding adjustment member with a floating back plate that can move along the pole strap, and an engaging sleeve that can slide along the lanyard. These dynamic elements allow the assembly to adapt to different pole diameters by adjusting the position of the floating back plate and engaging sleeve, transforming a static fixed structure into a dynamic adjustable one.
Solution Approach 2:
The assembly allows changing of critical parameters such as the distance between the pole strap and lanyard, the position of the floating back plate on the pole strap, and the position of the engaging sleeve on the lanyard. These parameter changes enable the same assembly to fit various pole diameters by adjusting the configuration to match the specific pole size being climbed.
2Reliability
If a simple pole strap connection is used, then the device is easy to operate, but it cannot securely engage during fall events
Solution Approach 1:
The floating back plate is pre-configured with binding features that will automatically engage the pole strap in a predetermined manner during a fall event. The engaging sleeve is designed with teeth and protrusions that will automatically interlock with the pole and lanyard components when fall forces are applied, ensuring secure engagement without requiring additional action from the user during the critical fall moment.
Solution Approach 2:
The assembly utilizes self-binding mechanisms where the floating back plate automatically binds the pole strap to the connector when tension is applied, and the engaging sleeve automatically engages with the pole through its teeth and protrusions during a fall. The system serves itself by using the fall force to activate the locking and binding features, eliminating the need for user intervention during the critical fall arrest moment.
3Adaptability or versatility
If an adjustable connector system is used, then adaptability to pole size is improved, but the adjustment mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The connector system is divided into separate functional segments: the floating back plate that adjusts along the pole strap, the engaging sleeve that adjusts along the lanyard, and the various connectors that join these components. This segmentation allows each component to be independently adjusted and positioned, providing adaptability to different pole diameters while keeping each individual component relatively simple in design.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The assembly provides easy and effective fall protection by allowing adjustable positioning and secure engagement with the pole, preventing falls by cinching the user to the pole through friction and engagement with the pole's surface, ensuring safety during climbing and descent.
Implementation Method 1
The floating back plate is configured and arranged to selectively bind the pole strap to the first connector in a static position
Implementation Method 2
The engaging sleeve is received around the mid-portion of the lanyard to engage the pole to be climbed
Implementation Method 3
preventing falls by cinching the user to the pole through friction and engagement with the pole's surface
Data Source
AI summary
A fall prevention assembly to prevent injuries when a user climbing a pole and falls, is provided. The fall prevention assembly includes a pole strap, a first connector, a floating back plate, a second connector and a lanyard. The pole strap has a first end, a second end and a mid portion between the first end and the second end. The first connector has a first end that is slidably coupled proximate the first end of the pole strap. The floating back plate is engaged between a portion of the first connector and the pole strap and is configured and arranged to selectively bind the pole strap to the first connector. The second connector is coupled a select distance from the second end of the pole strap. The lanyard has a first end, a second end and mid portion between the first and second ends. A second end of the first connector is slidably coupled to the lanyard. A second end of the second connector is slidably coupled to the lanyard such that the mid-portion of the pole strap and the mid-portion of the lanyard can be positioned around a pole to be climbed.